Safety match-box.



J. & W. H. DBMAINB.

SAFETY MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED mn. 3o, 1909.

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TOYSEPH DEMAIN E AND WILLIAM HENRY DEMAINE, OF ASHWORTI-I, ONTARIO, CANADA.

SAFETY MATCH-B0X.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

Application led March 30, 1909. Serial No. 486,675.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JOSEPH DEMAINE and lViLLiaM H. Dentaire, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Ashworth, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Match- BoX-es, of which the following' is a specification.

rlliis invention relates to match boxes, and the invention is primarily directed to a novel construction of match safes wherein a single match may be withdrawn from the boX or safe without interfering with the ieniaiiider of the matches within the receptacle, the device being so arranged as to normally force the matches toward the outlet opening and being provided with means whereby the match may be ignited While being withdrawn if desired, the safe being also provided with a wind shield constructed with the outlet opening whereby the match may be ignited without danger of being extinguished by the wind.

lith theabove and other objects in view, which will appear as the description progresses, the invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, hercinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing wherein simple and preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated, Figure l is a perspective view of a match safe constructed in accordance with the present invention, the

outlet door and wind shield being open to allow for the .withdrawal of one of the matches within the safe. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the device. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view talen through one of the compartments of the safe. Fig'. 5 is a horizontal sectional view upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and looking in the directions of the arrows. Fig. G is a detail horizontal sectional view upon the line (S-.( of llig, l. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a form of the device in which only one match receiving' compartment is employed. Fig. S a. horizontal sectional view of Fig.

The match safe proper comprises a rectangular safe or receptacle l. This receptacle l is provided with an open top which is normally closed through the medium of a substantially cross sectional U-shaped door 2. The door 2 is liingedly connected to the rear sides of the receptacle as at 3 and has its side walls provided with depressed portions 4 whereby the closure 2 may be held in frictional contact with the sides of the safe l. The receptacle l, as well as the closure 2, are both constructed of suitable resilient material, and the front upper face of the said receptacle is provided with an offset cut away portion having the vertical walls thus formed upon the sides of the receptacle terminating in alinement with the edge of the closure 2. The front wall of the receptacle l directly beneath the cut away portion is provided with a suitable hinge 5 which is adapted to pivotally coniiect an outlet door 6 to the device. The door 6 comprises a substantially rectangular member having its lower face cut away and its upper face provided with a spring tongue T which is adapted to overlie the top of the closure 2 and engage with a stud or projection provided thereon. By this arrangement it will be noted that the door 6 may be readily secured upon the top of the device and at the same time readily swung open so as to provide a space between the outer face of the receptacle and the end of the closure 2 whereby a match may be readily withdrawn from the receptacle. This door G not only serves as a means for providing for an outlet of the matches from the receptacle, but also affords an effective wind shield as well as a muffler foi a match to be ignited, in a manner presently to be described.

The structure illust-rated in Figs. l to G inclusive, of the drawings contemplates a central partition 9, thus dividing the box into a pair of compartments l() and ll. The forward portion of the partition 9 has both of its faces serrated or otherwise roughened as indicated by the numeral 11 and the sides of the resilient box l adjacent these serrated faces are slit to provide oppositely arranged flexible tongues l2. Each of the tongues l2 have their inner faces roughened or serrated as indicated by the numeral 13, and from this arrangement it will be noted that when a match is forced forward in either of the compartments l0 or 1l adjacent the serrated surfaces of the central partition and the fingers l2, a slight inward pressure upon the fingers will cause the said serrated portions to contact with the head of the match and readily ignite the same. It will be noted that when the match is Withdrawn the door 6 is swung downwardly upon its hinge 5 so that the substantially box-shaped door will afford means for protecting t-he ignited match from the wind directly after being struck and that the said door will also serve as a mutlier for the noise of the ignition and prevent the scattering of sparks which might otherwise result dangerously. It is, of course, desirable to allow the withdrawal of the matches of one of the 'compartments l0 and 1l at a single time and in order to provide for this I have hingedly connected with the door or closure 2, an offset arm let which is normally swung into engagement with the matches of one of the compartments to prevent the same being forced toward and in the. path of the opening adapted for the withdrawal of the match. In order to press the matches normally forward toward the opening I have provided each of the compartments l0 and 11, as well as the single compartment shown in the device illustrated in 7 and 8 of the drawing with a substantially elliptical spring l5. This spring l5 is preferably constructed of a single strand of fiattened material having its overlapping edges secured to the rear wall of the device l as indicated by the numeral 1G, while its central forward portion is provided with a stud 17 adapted to work through suitable elongated slots 18 provided in sides of the receptacle l. The member l5 is constructedof some light material whereby its bearing face is brought to contact with the direct center of the matches and for a length upon the matches from each side of the center.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. A receptacle having an open top and its face provided with an offset cut away portion adjacent its top, a closure for the top, a

partition within the receptacle, an offsetmember upon the top projecting within one of the compartments provided by the partition, said partition having its faces adjacent its front provided with serrations, integrally formed resilient fingers also provided with serrations upon the sides of the receptacle, a substantially U-shaped door for the offset cutaway portion of the receptacle, a resilient catch between the olfset door and the closure of the receptacle, elliptical springs within each of the compartments adapted to exert a forward pressure to force the matches within the receptacle toward the front wall of the receptacle, and means for retracting the springs.

2. In a match safe, a rectangular member provided with a top and having a portion of its front and sides adjacent the top cutaway, the sides of the safe below this cut away portion being slitted to provide a pair of tongues, said tongues having their inner faces roughened, a resilient element within the safe adapted to normally force the matches toward the front of the safe, a hinged cover for the open top of the safe, said cover being provided with side members having depressed portions, the sides of the safe being provided with projecting portions adapted to engage these recessed portions, a substantially U-shaped outlet door pivotally connected to the front of the safe and a spring catch upon the top of the safe for retaining the door in locked position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH DEMAINE. VILLIAM HENRY DEMAINE.

litnesses VILLIAM HENRY Lum, VILLIAM ENos ARMSTRONG. 

